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FORGESIDE 14 v NEW PANTEG 21

Forgeside will rue their missed chances in this game, a match that lacked a bit of spark throughout. New Panteg had nothing to gain or lose in this Division 3C East encounter as their league status is secure after finishing 4th, however Forgeside need as many points as possible in order to avoid the drop. However, on the morning before the game Forgeside lost 4 players, 2 of these being props, and they didn't have a recognised Scrum Half either, so they were forced to pull in some players on permit from Blaenafon RFC. It was Forge who started the stronger though when they were awarded a penalty on the half way line 5 minutes into the game, Fly Half Morgan Parry with a booming kick to convert. Within the next 3 minutes their persistent pressure paid off when Full Back Ieaun Pearce gathered a loose ball from 10 metres out to touch down, unconverted. The visitors began to find their feet and worked their way up field after gaining possession from the restart, and scored 2 minutes later when their prop dived over from 2 metres out, Fly Half Alex Gwatkin converting. The game became a bit of an arm wrestle until the half time interval as both sides were unable to make any in-roads. A couple of penalties for Forgeside beforehand where the atempts at goal were squandered would have put the hosts in a healthy lead into the interval but it wasn't to be. Forge were reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half time when Winger Matt Meredith was sin binned for a late tackle. It took another 12 minutes into the second half until a scored was produced, and it was Panteg who were the recipients of a penalty as Scrum Half Sior Pearce, on permit from Blaenafon, was harshly sin binned for pulling his opposite number into the ruck. Gwatkin slotting the kick in front of the posts. Forge were awarded another penalty 3 minutes later for their efforts, Parry converting. The game coninued to become a dog fight as both sides were well matched but the visitors were reduced to 14 men several minutes later when Prop Geraint Reynolds was sin binned for an infringment at a maul as Forge were on the attack near their try line. Unfortunately the hosts were unable to pierce the defence of Panteg and it was the visitors who scored another try. With passive scrums being called by Panteg from 10 metres out, the scrum half nipped up the blind side to put his winger into space to touch down, a soft try to concede from Forge's perspective. Forge were back on the attack and slotted another penalty a minute later but it looked as though the game was slipping away as Panteg slotted another penalty of their own 5 minutes later. With only 5 minutes left to the end Forge tried too hard to get something out of the game and made unforced errors, this allowed the visitors to capatilise on this but it was a drop goal by Gwatkin that put the 'nail in the coffin' 2 minutes from the end. Forge didn't recover from this and had to settle for a losing bonus point. With 3 games in hand left over their rivals West Mon, Forgeside will be pulling out all stops to get something from these games and hopefully avoid the drop. Next up is Deri away on Saturday 29th April.